here between the sky
by Imaginarivalued
Summary: Wherever they are, they will pass these fractions of eternity together. -IchigoRukia
1. Chapter 1

Ichigo told Rukia he loves her as soon as he realized he did.

Alright, so he told her a day _after_ he was aware of these so-called feelings. He was nervous for Shit Lord's sake!

She stares at him. "What?"

He turns to the side. "Che. You heard me."

She looks away as well.

He glances at her sideways. It looks like she's blushing. "Well, since you don't have anything to say, I'll just be on my way—"

"You're leaving _now_?" Her voice is steely.

He shrugs. "I've done what I intended."

Her violet eyes narrow dangerously. "If this is some kind of sick joke—"

"I love you."

Her eyes widen.

"It's not a joke. I love you. Just came here to tell you that."

Silence.

"I'm at least a full century ahead of you."

He snorts. "I freakin' look older than you."

"That's only because—"

"Exactly. The age gaps for everyone in Soul Society are probably two centuries by standard, and I don't give a crap about those kinds of things."

"We live in two different worlds. Two different _planes of existence_."

"That we both have free access to. Besides, I'm not going to live forever."

"It's not that simple."

He smirks. "Of course, it isn't. Nothing with you ever is."

"Th-this sort of thing might not even be allowed. The C-Clan…the Gotei Thirteen…there will be complications…"

"Stop dramatizing things. It makes you look smaller than you already are."

She glares at him.

He grins. "If someone does have a problem, I'll just make them wear their own asses for hats."

"Ichigo! This isn't something to talk so lightly about! And I'm not some sort of prize you can just win with barbaric antics!"

"Alright! Sheesh, you didn't have to shout."

She's practically seething. "Idiot. Do you understand what you're saying!? What you're asking?"

"I'm not asking for anything, least of all from you. I'm merely informing of this ridiculous wasted phenomenon of liking you."

She blinks. "Wait. You said you—"

In a growl: "I know what I said." His ears feel a bit warm.

She looks angry. And slightly haughty. "Downgrading already? You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet."

He snorts.

She huffs. "Stupid Strawberry." She crosses her arms. Her eyes lose their fury. "W-were y-you serious?"

"Che. I wasn't the one stuttering."

She frowns at him, briefly. "Then why were you in such a hurry to leave?"

He scratches the back of his head. "I finished what I planned to do. I wasn't in any hurry. You had a dumb look on your face. Be glad I didn't call you on it."

Her cheeks are red again. Most likely anger. "You try having this thrown at you out of nowhere and see how well you handle it."

He stares to the side.

She seems to realize what she said. She looks away. In a whisper: "Why?"

He doesn't need to see to know that she looks sad. Guilty. So he doesn't. Doesn't want to.

"You're not ready, and, maybe I'm not ready."

He turns to her now. She doesn't meet his eyes. "I'm not going to wait for you though."

She looks at him, probably surprised.

"I'm going to be patient, because I got something to look forward to. But I'm not patient. I can admit that. You know that. So if you don't make up your damn mind one way or another, I'll come for you."

Her eyes are wide. She looks conflicted, sad. He knows. He knows her. She is helplessly fatalistic. And so is he.

He wonders what she sees from him, when her gaze drifts away and again in that gasping whisper: "_Why?_"

He looks at the sky. It looks like rain. "I owe it to too many people to be a stupid coward."

The seconds drift by, in a hazy sandpit of silent time.

"It's going to rain soon." He walks, hands in his pockets, towards somewhere she knows he'll be waiting at.

"…Ichigo……"

He stops, and looks up again. He feels her gaze, and wonders how long he'll have to be impatient. "You changed my sky."

* * *

He wakes up to a breeze. His window is open. Also, Kuchiki Rukia is kind of sitting on the ledge, staring down at him.

She seems to be smiling. His heart is racing a bit. "What're you doing?"

"Nothing. Now."

"Fine. What _were_ you doing?"

She hops onto his desk. "Watching you sleep."

There's more she hasn't said, he knows. But he doesn't care. "Wonderful. Now with that heartwarming stalker moment over, why haven't—HEY! The hell, you crazy bitch!?"

She grins from atop of him. "You caught me."

He growls. He realizes she's as soft as ever. He tries to keep the heat on his face down as much as possible (fail). He looks partially away, and coughs. "I'll always catch you."

He can feel her smile. "That's good. I'm a bit fatalistic, you know?"

He looks at her now. His hand moved to her shoulder. "Yeah, I know."

Her smile really is dazzling. His impatience was spent well, he decides.

She inches forward a little. Their faces are close. "I came to tell you something."

He smirks. "Is that right?"

iShe smirks back. Coyly. "Yep. And it involves three words."

He moves his face even closer, as does she.

He can feel her breath on his lips and—

"_You totally sucked_."

"……………………………………………………………………………ermmm…"

"That was the most disappointing confession of love, ever. You didn't even sparkle!"

"_Sparkle?_"

She brings out a book out of nowhere. A _shojo manga_? "Don't think I don't know! You were supposed to get me flowers for the background and compare my eyes to the moon and my beauty to the sun!"

"Compare your what to wha…?"

"There was also no rainbow, sparkling, or refracted light of any kind!"

"Where the hell did you even get that!?"

She sits up, shakes her head, and sighs dramatically. "Truly, a disappointment. Oh, woe is me. To be confessed to in such a half-assed manner."

"Are you out of your mind!? You're basing all your standards on a stupid _shojo manga_!? Did you trade in your common sense for schizophrenia!?"

"_Keigo-san_ would've done a much better job."

His breath comes out in garbles. He is rather choking on his rage.

Her smile widens (evilly). She pokes him in the chest. "You owe me a far more refined declaration of eternal devotion, young strawberry. Some tulips would be nice. Roses are kind of ugly."

His throat finally unclogs itself with a growl. "_I hate you_."

She looks haughty. "And here I thought Kurosaki Ichigo loved dear little Rukia. Silly me." She takes out a stuffed _Chappy doll_. "I _was_ still going to give you a—ahem (slight blush)—_reward_. But now you're going to have to work for it."

She then tries to shove the stuffed doll into his mouth. He dodges quite swiftly.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"Express your love for Chappy-chan, Ichigo! And I might do the same! It's only fair!"

"Get off of me, you lunatic!"

"Kiss Chappy-chan, Ichigo! Kiss hiiiiim!"

Somewhere along the insane line of yelling and screaming and demented laughter, he is at peace.

* * *

She's reading a manga. Ichigo's head is resting in her lap. She's absentmindedly playing with his hair.

The air feels cool. The clock ticks time away silently. She looks through the window. The world is kind of grey.

"It's raining…" She simpers as he twists around for a glance.

She watches him. He's staring at the rain, sleepily, perhaps contemplatively. She moves to touch his face. He twists back around.

"Not inside." He huffs and nestles her stomach.

She blinks.

She smiles and pokes his cheek. "Cheezy."

He grunts.

"Lame." She pokes again.

"Che."

"Dorky."

"Aa."

She swats his head.

"Bitch."

"Stupid."

He's smiling too.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rukia."

She thumbs her brush.

"Rukia."

She _hmphs_ and continues to examine some equipment/trinket (he couldn't tell).

"Dammit, Rukia. Cut it out—"

She gets up and walks out the room.

He curses and follows (almost stumbling) her out of the room. "Would you stop ignoring me so damn blatantly? I already said I was—"

"Sorry?" She says without looking back. "Yes, I heard. But since it's obvious your tangy-idiocy addled ears don't listen to a single thing I say, it'd be pointless to respond just so I can punch you in the eyes by the end of the argument."

"Uh………you're really going to punch me in the eyes?"

"Yep. And then, I'm going to bite off your ears as apparently you don't need them."

He almost gulps. He tries growling instead. "For the love of—would you just—"

She turns around sharply and makes to as if leaping for his face.

To his shame, his hands reactively cover his ears.

She huffs (mildly triumphant) and resumes walking away.

He tries not to blush. Then he tries even harder not to wince and continues to follow her.

The hallways are long. The walls are white. The solace is black. Soul Society is as colorless as a tunnel vision of oblivion. The ones to add to the pallet are the people here. And the one he can't help but look at is the most confounding thing he'd ever admit to have caught his eternal attention.

Her pace is unnerving. Probably part of the punishment she's certain to slam into his face once there is an opening in his guard. She always finds it, whether to kick him in the shins or to pull him out of his own forsaking misery.

She stops. It's by the pond in the garden.

He wonders if she is preparing to drown him and let his rotting corpse feed the koi fishes.

She exhales sharply instead, as if resigned.

He keeps quiet. Waiting.

She turns slightly to him with a small glare. He curses himself for sweating.

She eyes him for a few seconds. She sighs and walks over. "How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

He barely stops himself from exhaling in relief. "It's still kind of itchy but I'm fine—BWAOW!!"

She pulls her fist back and stares at him. Condescendingly. "There. Now I don't have to drown you. It'd probably make the koi fishes ill, and I would like to avoid upsetting Nii-sama."

He looks at her. He can feel his eyebrows arching.

"You were thinking it."

He grumbles. He tries to soothe the muscles around the wound.

Her eyes narrow. "Don't. You'll end up reopening the wound."

He glares at her. "You _punched _it."

She ignores him. As he knew she would. She touches it.

He suddenly feels cool. As if a breeze of her zanpakuto graced his skin and blood. He thinks it wouldn't be too much to say it felt nice.

"It feels nice."

She pulls her hand back. "Just made sure the blood would clot."

He recaptures her hand. He doesn't know why. But he holds it. "Sorry."

She looks up at him. For a moment, she is not frowning. "I'll never understand it."

He thinks he should stay silent. But. "Never understand what?"

"That you're so willing to put yourself in unnecessary danger. You've survived gashes, slashes, ceros, getting gutted, and having a hole put through your chest. For your friends. For something or someone that I'm always only later aware of."

"Rukia, I—"

"And now it's just usually everyone in your field of vision." She stops looking at him.

"What would you have me do? See them as possible cannon fodder? Pretend that I can't make a difference?"

She sighs. "No. You're not capable of that. And if you were, you wouldn't be where you are now. I just…want you to rely on all of us. _More_ than you do now. You'll receive less injuries, that way."

He growls. "But _you'll_ receive more."

She still doesn't look at him. She touches the wound again. "I can't heal, Ichigo. Not properly. And I don't think I'll ever really want to. Not for you, not for anyone. I'll fight, and we'll win without dying. Without you gaining more scars after each battle."

He blurts out the first thing in his head. "I don't want you with scars meant for me."

He can see her eyes now. "Pain is relative, Ichigo."

He can't help but inhale sharply. He couldn't agree more.

"It hurts enough when you keep bleeding. I don't know if one day you'll bleed out."

Her head bumps lightly against his chest.

Their fingers are still intertwined. "I know when you bleed. You have my eternal attention."

He blinks. He nods. "Yeah. You have mine, too."

She's quiet.

He moves to touch her shoulder.

Her hair rubs against his skin as she shakes her head. "Just a little longer. Just like this."

He pause. His skin still feels cool. Her hair is a bit warm. She doesn't want him to see her eyes yet.

He nods. He'll keep paying attention.


	3. Chapter 3

He opens the door to his room. "Hey, Rukia, have you seen—" He stops. He blinks.

She's sitting in the middle of the room. She doesn't appear to have noticed him. Her eyes are focused on the object in her hand, her thumbs tapping every so often.

He scratches his head. "What…are you doing?"

She doesn't look at him. "What does it look like? I'm trying to get around the murderous mushrooms of the Ponpon Garden and collect all the golden carrots for the moonlight festival!"

He looks at the ceiling. He glares. He shrugs.

"There're actually murderous mushrooms? Just what kind of game are you playing?"

She doesn't hear him, apparently, attention back on the game. The tip of her tongue is slightly sticking out.

"Huh. Cute."

She presses a button thrice rapidly. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He rubs his ear. He hopes it won't heat up. "Since when did you even play video games? Or known about them?"

"Got it this morning! Now hush, I'm close to getting the giant blue diamond potato!"

He circles around to look over her shoulder. "What kind of game makes you collect wyrdass produce anyway—"

On the screen of the handheld console, he sees a familiar (to his annoyance) furry character jumping across miniature ravines while tossing stars at narrow-eyed, bipedal mushrooms and praying mantises with dreadlocks.

He looks at the ceiling. He shakes a mildly angry fist. "Chappy. There's actually a Chappy video game. You're telling me there's actually a Chappy video game. You're actually telling me that this world that was supposedly dictated by logic and, by a lesser extent, the laws of science, has within it a Chappy video game. You're going to just sit there in your frilly shirt and—"

"Yes, it's an ingenious, glorious, breathtaking work featuring Chappy! Now quiet down, I need to get the ancient picket basket of Yogi the bear deity before going for the diamond potato!"

"Where did you even get this crazy—"

"Urahara."

He rubs his eyes. "Right. Don't know why I even asked."

"We'll never find out. Tragic. Yatta! Triple starfish power!"

"Are there actually murderous mushrooms in there?" He thinks he doesn't sound too hopeful.

"They might as well be! If you're not careful, they'll give Chappy small bumps on the head and make Chappy cry! There're no greater sins!"

"……………………what about the preying mantises? Do they at least dish out paper cuts?"

"Heh heh. Silly Ichigo. The mantises only play the bongo drums to distract Chappy from his ultimate goal. Although, that in and of itself is a dastardly deed!"

"They…they play bongo drums? How in the—they have scythes for frontal appendages!"

"They attach blueberries to the pointy ends to create makeshift drumsticks."

"Wha……b-but you don't use drumsticks to play bongo drums…"

"Gigantic makeshift thumbs then. What does it matter when _I've got the allstar wand of marsupial grandeur_!!"

"Maybe it's radioactive and it'll make Chappy bleed through its eyeballs and die an excruciating death that no stupid rodents have ever suffered before."

"Sure, sure," she nods, once again attention absorbed by the handheld gaming console.

He fumes slightly. He sits next to her, legs crossed, interested more in the shine in her hair and in her eyes than the one emitting from the console screen. Not that he would ever tell her such.

Beep. Tap. Tap. Beep.

He scratches his chin.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Beep.

He rolls his shoulders.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

He stares at her. He nudges her with his foot.

Tap. Beep. Tap. Tap.

"Hey."

Beep. Beep. Tap.

"Hey, pay attention to me."

Beep. Beep. Beep. "Later. I've almost got the _square of obscene friendship_ reshaped into a pentagon."

He huffs and crosses his arms. He glares at her for a moment.

The evening sun peeks through the window and frames her. He stops glaring.

He looks at the ceiling. He shrugs.

He leans in. He kisses the corner of her lips.

She blinks, her body freezes.

He pulls back. He smirks a little, waiting.

……………………………Beep. Beep. Tap. Tap. Beep.

He gapes at her. He wonders where on the rage meter he should be fuming at—

"You stopped. So I guess that means I should just keep playing." She is smirking.

Soon, so is he.

He leans in again.

Her head is already turned to meet him.

The gaming device thumps on the floor.

As he pulls her closer, he grins.

_Game over, Chappy_.

* * *

AN: Nerd love ftw.


	4. Chapter 4

"Daddy!" Yuzu cries, "Ichi-nii won't come out! He didn't even come down for lunch!"

"Ichigo, my wayward son! Why have you hidden yourself from the eyes of the beautiful world! You are worrying your sweet sisters! Emerge from the gloom and darkness, bask in the sunlight, and ease this festering pain you've burdened upon your family!"

"Oh, no! Is Ichi-nii hurt!? Did he suffer greatly and is hiding his pain from us!?"

"Ichigo! Do not shy away from your loved ones! We will heal your pain with familial affection! To the maximum!"

"_I'm fine!! Just……give me a few minutes, okay!? Get out of my room!"_

"Ichi-nii! Whatever your problem is, I promise I'll do my best to help! Please come out of the closet!"

"Ah, my sweet little Yuzu-chan! So understanding of even a barbaric brute! Ichigo, my unworthy son, you've distressed your baby sisters! Come out your emo closet and repent your misgivings by my rising phoenix kick!"

"_My closet isn't emo! And who are you calling unworthy, you old troll!?"_

"No, daddy! You can't fight Ichi-nii if he's hurt!"

"Oh, that's true! Thank you for reminding me! Ichigo, my anguished son, bounce forth from the depressing shadows of your seclusion and my fatherly bosoms will embrace you! But only this once!"

"_Hell no! You keep your disgusting bosoms to yourself! Dammit, stop laughing, you little bitch!"_

"Ichigo, my confusing son, no one is laughing at you! Have you already gone mad from the malevolent probes of closeted isolation!?"

"_No, dammit! I'm just—I said stop laughing and—ack! Your damn foot's in my face!"_

"Seriously, guys," Karin groans, "Ichigo said he's fine and will come out in time. Do we really have to shout at him through the closet?"

"B-but he hasn't been out in hours! Why won't he come out!?"

"_Argh! I'm fine, Yuzu! Don't worry, I just—I'll be out soon if everyone would just leave my room!"_

"No, Ichi-nii! I won't abandon my big brother to an unknown danger!"

"_There's no danger! I'm not in danger, It's—dammit, I told you to stop poking my face!"_

"No one is attacking your face, my blubbering son, why would you announce such a thing!? Unless, of course……" Isshin gasps. "Has your salient skin finally been afflicted by the horrendous onslaught of teenagehood!?"

"………………_what!?_"

"Ichigo, my disappointing son, have you been besieged by the horror of acne and refuse to be seen!?"

"Is that it, Ichi-nii!? Are you upset because you got pimples!? It's okay, I'll still love my big brother!"

"_No, I don't have any—dammit, it's not funny!"_

"Daddy, Ichi-nii is acting really really weird! Oooh, if only Rukia-nee was here! She'd know what to do!"

"Ah, yes! My third, beautiful, brilliant daughter, whose short stature belies her astounding mind and a heart of gold!"

"_Pfffhaha! Yeah, short is right! And it's a poorly drawn heart gilded gold—OW! Did you just bite me!?_"

"It's weird! I didn't see Rukia-nee all day neither! Could she be in trouble too!?"

"My graceful daughter is no doubt in some form of battle to salvage the decency of humanity at this very moment!"

"_Would you stop biting my arm already!?_"

"Um, guys," Karin waves, "I think Rukia-nee-san is actually closer than we—well, just you two—think. If you'd just—"

"Ichigo, my cowardly son, this is no time to be lamenting the atrociousness of your appearance! Step out of the damp cave that is your closet and let us scour the earth to uncover the mystery of the absence of my third daughter!"

"Yeah, Ichi-nii! Please come out so we can go look for Rukia-nee!"

"_I am—Rukia is—there's no need to, I mean, to go look—_"

"Indeed, Ichigo! You can rescue dear Rukia to offset the foolishness of your being and proclaim your eternal love to her and make me a proud grandpapa already!"

"_I already did that, except for that last one—wait, what!?"_

"Don't worry, Ichi-nii! I'll help you cover up so you can come out and go make babies with Rukia-nee!"

"I think that's probably what they've been doing until we barged—"

"Yes, there is no need to feel inadequate, my inferior son, let us go seek my daughter by word so you can make her my daughter by law. Without making a quick run to the convenience store. Hoho, I never thought there'd be the day I would say that. Masaki, our son is becoming a man!"

"_GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!_"

* * *

"Ne, thank you for coming with me, Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Tatsuki-chan."

"Eh, it's no problem," Tatsuki waves off, "I want to see how that dunderhead is doing too. I can't believe he skipped class probably just so he can sneak off with—oh, I…I'm s-sorry, Orihime, I didn't—"

"Uuuun. It's fine, I'll be all right."

"If you ask me," Ishida pushes up his glasses, head turned to the side, "it is simply a wonder Kurosaki is not interested in the same gender, for him to not return your……affections, Inoue-san."

"Mmm………"

"Um, no, what I meant was—uh, yes, I apologize for that comment, Sado-san. Forget I said anything."

"Hey, no need to get awkward. I agree with Ishida, Orihime. I wouldn't be surprised if Ichigo was actually into boys and this was all just a ruse."

"But," Orihime blinks, "I like boys too. What's wrong with that?"

"Uh, that was supposed to mean—never mind. It was just a joke anyway—"

"_Ichi-nii, please come out! I promise I absolutely won't judge you!"_

"_Ichigo, my confused son, emerge from the closet this instant and face the world, yourself, and your family!"_

"_NEVER!!"_

"_Sigh."_

Tatsuki blinks. Ishida blinks. Chad probably blinks.

"Hmm?" Orihime tilts her head, "Is Kurosaki-kun cheating at hide and go seek?"


	5. Chapter 5

He wakes to humming. Singing.

He groggily blinks for a few moments. He turns his head.

She is sitting at the table, holding something. A smile on her face and a melody through her lips.

It reminds him of a different time and a different sky. Harmony of spring. Bladed grass and honeydews. Clean air and shimmering waters.

It reminds him of something he's never seen before.

He wonders how many different skies she will show him.

She turns her head and sees him. "Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

He stretches his arms. "Kind of."

"How unfortunate then." She goes back to tinkering.

He stares at her. "What were you doing?"

"Just configuring this device. This way it can allow for a better range of communication with Soul Society while lowering the chances of interference—"

"No, I meant, what was that tune?"

She blinks. "You heard?"

"Was kind of what woke me."

She smiles softly. Her voice is mildly singsong. "Just a little something. And yes, I know, don't ever disturb you with my hideous singing voice ever again. I promise I'll only do so when you're not within earshot."

"……………where'd you learn it from?"

"I…" She blinks. She looks upward, her lips slightly tight. "I don't really know, I guess. It's actually kind of strange. I've been humming it for so long, maybe long enough to have forgotten. There's a pretty good chance I heard it during my time in Rukongai. But if so, I'm not sure when or around where."

She smirks. "It was probably before your time, little strawberry."

"Che. Spoken like an old hag."

Suddenly, she looks distant. "But………I remember something warm. Near and……safe. I…I'm not sure what it was, but…I feel it more clearly when I hear that tune. So, I guess I just got into the habit of trying to know."

He watches her. Waiting.

"Oh, I also heard Nii-sama hum it once in the garden. I think he was preoccupied, because he didn't stop until I was closer for him to detect my presence."

"……did you ask him where he knew it from?"

She shakes her head. Smile wistful. "No, I was too surprised to hear it from Nii-sama that…I guess it just slipped my mind."

He looks at her, at her smile that seems just a bit haunted as it was beautiful.

"…………hey, Rukia?"

"Hmm?"

He stares into her eyes. "Would you sing for me?"

She blinks.

She smiles. The ghost is gone.

The air feels calm. His skin feels warm. Somehow, the ceiling looks blue.

Soon, he forgets when he is. Somewhere under a different sky.

As the world blurs and the melody silences the darkness, he thinks, for the briefest of moments, he sees someone, who isn't Rukia, smile at him.

_Thank you._

"……no……pro…blem………………"

He flops to his side.

She looks at him. She laughs softly.

She pokes his cheek and goes to get him a blanket.


	6. Chapter 6

Renji is staring. Hard.

Ichigo wonders if slamming his head against the wall for instant coma will somehow salvage some form of dignity.

Rukia looks wildly neurotic. And enticing. Her blouse is halfway unbuttoned and her skirt is riding up her hip.

He realizes he should be attempting murder now. Another male saw more skin of her than was strictly allowed. But a tent is pitched in his pants and her weight disabled higher brain functions.

"I WAS CHECKING HIM FOR ORAL CANCER!!" Her voice is rather squeaky. His pants somehow get more uncomfortable.

Renji blinks. "What's that?"

She stares back blankly. She grabs his ears. "Where is that stupid medical textbook!?"

Through the haze of embarrassment and arousal, he wonders if kissing her now would be bad. Yes. "I—eek (knee against thigh)—don't know!"

Renji scratches his head. "Aren't people supposed to jump away from each other in these situations? Well, whatever. I came over cuz' you turned off communications probably so you could _check_ for that whatjimacallit uninterrupted and Ukitake-taichou said he needed to talk to you about something—"

Another blink. She is already gone.

The two men are left to stare at each other.

He sits up. He realizes he is pointing at the other man (not with his fingers) and quickly stands behind the couch.

He thinks the blood in his veins will paint a nice mural for the kitchen wall when they burst.

Renji crosses his arms. Looks inward. Eyes closed.

Tick. Tock.

He calmly tries to put his shirt back on.

Tick. Tock.

He succeeds on the seventh attempt.

Tick. Tock.

His pants are more comfortable now.

Tick. Tock.

He wonders if he should pretend to brew tea and escape through the back window—

Renji looks up. "You know what? I'm okay with it."

"………………Bvvvvgur?"

Renji scratches his head. "You heard me. It's fine."

Somehow, his shoulders feel lighter. "Uh, r-really? I m-mean, I thought you—"

"You know," the red-haired man looks upward, "the most a stray can do is bark. But you," the man looks back, "you can reach them, can't you?"

"Huh?"

Renji waves off. "Never mind, just a little inside thing."

He scratches the back of his head. "Oh. Um……are you sure you're—"

"If it was anyone else, most likely not."

He believes he is smiling. "Thanks, Renji. It……really means a lot to hear that from you."

Renji smirks. "Ew, don't get sappy on me, Ichigo. Save it for Kuchiki-taichou."

"H-huh!? Wh-what!? I thought you—"

"I am, don't get me wrong. But I still gotta report this back to the captain. What, aren't you serious about her?"

"Wh—of course I am! Why are you even—"

"Then he'd know eventually, might as well get it over with, right?"

He rubs his eyes. He sighs. "You're right. Just……let me do it in person."

Renji blinks. He grins. "You got guts, man. When I said I'd do it, I was looking out for you, you know?"

He laughs a bit. "Yeah, I know. But, I'm serious. About this. About, well, everything."

"Good to hear." He turns around. "Well, I got other duties so I'll be taking off. Next time, make sure you guys lock the door when ya want to check for that oral thingymajig."

He can feel the heat in his face. "Y-yeah, I'll…remember that."

Renji is out the door. Dozens of paces away.

He exhales. His muscles give out and he plops on the couch.

He thinks about a sky. Somehow, the sun would be brighter—

"_By the way! I'm shacking it up with Arisawa! Hope that's okay!!_"

He blinks. "WAIT WHAT!?"

"_Remember my kindness!!_" Sounds of running.

"RENJI, GET BACK HERE!!"


	7. Chapter 7

He stares at his bed. He sees the creature. White. Furry.

Its nose twitches.

"What the hell is—"

"CHAPPY!!"

He expects to turn around and see his soulless body on the ground. No such luck. "Dammit! Are you trying to scare the crap out of me!?"

"I REPEAT. CHAPPY!!" She stomps on his back and leaps over. She is cuddling the furry animal in mere seconds.

He gawks as she proceeds to stroke its ears and coo nonsensical adjectives.

He blinks. "There's a woodland creature on my bed!"

"So. Cute!"

"No! Not cute! Dirty and probably stained with—"

She turns around. Her eyes are shining with a tint of red. "Continue, and _mutilation_."

"—gumdrops and rainbow sprinkles!"

She huffs. She spins back around to blatantly adore the rodent.

He grumbles to himself.

She picks up the furry. She touches her nose to its.

Somehow, the entire scene feels like its shining because she is smiling brightly like sunlight through forest crown canopies, and his lungs are filled with better air.

But he snaps to remember that this is his room and that is his bed. He leaps up. "Where the hell did that thing come from!?"

She looks at him. Frowning. "Chappy is not a 'thing'! He's a wonderful, adorable, fluffy—"

"I don't care if its king of the goddamn moon! I just want to know where and how you got it and if it's too late to return to whence it came!"

She huffs. "Ignorant fool. Obviously Chappy came from the land of Joy and Unrelenting Justice—"

"Stop making up crap and tell me where you bought it!"

She stares at him. "I didn't buy Chappy."

"What!? Then how'd—(wham!) ACKK!!"

"Rukia-chan!" Isshin bellows as he heels dig into his son's back, "My beautiful daughter! Do you like the gift I got you!?"

"Were you the one who got Chappy? Thank you so much, Kurosaki-san!"

"Anything to see that breathtaking smile of yours, my wondrous daughter! And please, call me Daddy!!"

She smiles. Like to a child who just mastered potty training. "Alright then. Thank you, otou-san."

Isshin's eyes produce waterfalls. "Today is a glorious day of epic proportions! If only I had recorded this moment so as to be able to relive it every day! Please, call me dad again!"

She smiles brightly. "Sorry, only once per Chappy."

"Then I shall purchase dozens of Chappy before the day is gone—"

"Like hell you will!" He pushes off and tries to break the older man's face with his foot.

"Ichigo, my retarded son, why are you impeding my efforts to please my nature-loving daughter!?"

"I'm not going to let you fill the house with rodents just because you're out of your mind!"

"Well, Ichigo, my disappointing son, if you would only take lessons from that furry creature over there and give me grandchildren already, perhaps I will consider—"

He thinks the heat from his face is mostly rage. "Dammit, you old idiot! Stop saying things like that!"

Isshin dodges another punch. "As such, I can only fill the void of my future grandchildren by lowering the standards and substitute with the cuteness of the fluffies! And at least Rukia-chan will still call me dad!"

"Wha—that rodent is not my son!"

"Hey!" She gasps, "What's wrong with Chappy!?"

Isshin laughs and charges down the stairs. "Wait for me, Rukia-chan! I will be back with Ichigo juniors before you know it!"

He gives chase. "Not if I snap your spine like a twig, you old fart!!"

"Hey, Ichigo! Get back here and take back what you said about Chappy, you irresponsible parent!" She gives chase too.

The rabbit watches the open door. The sounds of stomping and yelling fade.

It scratches its ears. It blinks. Its nose twitches.

It hops onto the pillow. Soon, it naps.

The closet creaks open. Kon pokes his head out. Tears stream down his face. "I'm being replaced. Nee-san, _nooooooooo_…………"


End file.
